16 killed in nursing home fire in Indonesia, identification underway

Jakarta: Indonesian police are conducting identification procedures for 16 people killed in a fire that broke out at a nursing home in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, local authorities said on Monday.

The victims’ bodies are being identified at Bhayangkara Hospital of the North Sulawesi Regional Police (Polda Sulut), according to Alamsyah P. Hasibuan, head of public relations of Polda Sulut.

He said the identification process is aimed at establishing the victims’ full identities before further coordination with their families, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to him, the fire occurred at around 8:36 p.m. local time on Sunday at the Panti Werdha Damai nursing home, located in Ranomuut Sub-district, Paal Dua District, Manado. The blaze was extinguished at about 9:30 p.m. after three fire engines dispatched by the Manado city government arrived at the scene.

Following reports of the fire, police officers moved quickly to secure the area and assist with rescue operations. Survivors were evacuated to Manado City Regional Hospital and Permata Bunda Hospital, while the deceased were transferred for further handling.

Police forensic teams have launched an investigation, including a crime scene examination and witness interviews, to determine the sequence of events and the preliminary cause of the fire, Hasibuan said.

Earlier, on December 22, 15 people were killed, and 19 others injured early Monday in a bus accident at the intersection of the Krapyak toll exit in Semarang city, Central Java province, local authorities reported.

According to the Semarang Search and Rescue Office, the passenger bus was reportedly travelling at high speed when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to hit a road barrier and overturn.

“The evacuation process was quite difficult because some victims were trapped inside the bus, and access was obstructed by broken glass,” said Budiono, head of the Semarang Search and Rescue Office. “Rescue personnel had to enter the overturned bus, open access to the victims and evacuate them with extra caution.”

The office confirmed that all victims have been successfully evacuated and sent to local hospitals.

IANS